Monday 5 March 2012

57 West Street (Molly Malone's)

Foremerly known as "The Heist" and ill-advisedly painted black, no.57 has been given a handsome makeover as "Molly Malone's". It must have taken many coats of paint, which can have done nothing to enhance the detailing of the seriously damaged reliefs. For the record they depicts mermaids, a Brighton dolphin, scallop shells, fruit and mythical birds, possibly griffins.

In the early 19th.C the Carpenter's Arms public house, later the Compasses, stood on this site. It was rebuilt for Edlins as Christie's Hotel in about 1901. The Brighton Pevsner descibes it as being in the Free Renaissance Late Victorian style and compares it to the work of London architects Treadwell & Martin, 1890-1910.
80 Fetter Lane by Treadwell & Martin

It became "The Bosun" in the 1970s, the "Nellie Peck" in 1986 and "The Heist" about 10 years ago; each change requiring a repaint, the consequent erection of scaffolding and increased chance of accidental damage.

No.57 lies within the Old Town conservation area. At one time it may have been grade III listed. This was a non-statutory designation abolished in 1970. Properties in Brighton with this listing were then transferred to the council's own "local list". This list is not published, although no. 57 may still be on it.

57 West Street

7 comments:

  1. One of the first pubs that I ever bought a beer in (when it was called the Nellie Peck'). I called at a girlfriends house to take her out on a date, but she was still having dinner and her dad told me to come back in two hour. I went to the Nellie Peck, had four pints of Guinness, and due to my unfamiliarity with alcohol, staggered back to her house and threw-up in front of her father!

    For some reason, her dad didn't let me take her out ever again...

    ReplyDelete
  2. BTW, following my previous comment, I just wanted to say how much I love this website; despite being born-and-bred in Brighton, I have been living in Swansea for the last 5 years, completing a Masters degree and starting a Ph.D.

    I come to this site every day for my 'slice of Brighton'; thanks very much for your hard work in creating this website; it's much appreciated by me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for you support. Its mainly a "labour of love" for me. I keep thinking I will run out of ideas but something always seem to crop up and the internet makes it easy.

      I hope your early amorous adventures didn't scar you for life ;p

      Delete
    2. Well it didn't put me off the drink!!!

      Again, thank you so much for the effort you put into maintaining this site; I am sitting here in Swansea; it's cold and it's raining and it's Welsh, but your website reconnects me with my hometown; the greatest city in the world!

      All the very best to you;

      Kevin

      Delete
  3. I went into the bar recently, they've done a nice job to the exterior and interior. The bar is haunted by a man who walks behind the stain glass window at the back, despite the fact that the ground is 12 feet below the window!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have you actually been behind the stained glass window? There is not 12 feet drop. its the same level and the floor inside.

      Delete
  4. Oh happy days at the Bosun in thelate 70s, had some fab times here with the Bha boys and my dear departed friend Mandy,great pub, great company, oh for one more Friday night...

    ReplyDelete

In event of difficulty in adding comment, email:- quedula@gmail.com